{"id":28116,"date":"2019-05-11T08:35:49","date_gmt":"2019-05-11T12:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.photoshopessentials.com\/?p=28116"},"modified":"2024-06-02T09:23:22","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T13:23:22","slug":"using-smart-sharpen-for-the-best-image-sharpening-in-photoshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.photoshopessentials.com\/newsite\/photo-editing\/using-smart-sharpen-for-the-best-image-sharpening-in-photoshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Smart Sharpen for the Best Image Sharpening in Photoshop"},"content":{"rendered":"<section>\n<div class=\"featured-image\" style=\"padding-bottom:12px;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-photoshop-f.jpg\" alt=\"Sharpen images with Smart Sharpen in Photoshop\" width=\"853\" height=\"448\" class=\"\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"summary-novideo\">\n<p>Learn how to sharpen images like the pros with Smart Sharpen, Photoshop's most advanced (but still easy to use) image sharpening filter! And why Smart Sharpen is a better choice than Unsharp Mask!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"pdf-download-link\">Download PDF: <a href=\"\/?s2member_file_download=pdf\/photo-retouch\/CC-Smart_Sharpen.pdf&s2member_skip_confirmation\" title=\"Download PDF\">Smart Sharpen<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"author\">Written by Steve Patterson<\/div>\n<p>In a previous tutorial in this series, I showed you how to sharpen images with Unsharp Mask, the most basic sharpening filter in Photoshop. This time, I show you how to get even better results using Smart Sharpen.<\/p>\n<h3>Smart Sharpen vs Unsharp Mask<\/h3>\n<p>Both Unsharp Mask and Smart Sharpen are great choices for sharpening images. But Smart Sharpen is even better, with important advantages. <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/how-to-sharpen-images-in-photoshop-with-unsharp-mask\/\" title=\"Learn more\">Unsharp Mask<\/a> is a much older filter, and has no way of detecting edges in your image. It also lacks control over the highlights and shadows, which often leads to clipping and a loss of detail in the lightest and darkest pixels.<\/p>\n<p>By comparison, Smart Sharpen is a newer filter that takes advantage of more recent technology. Smart Sharpen <em>can<\/em> detect edges, so it sharpens edges without sharpening noise. It also creates thinner, less noticeable halos around edges, resulting in a cleaner image. And Smart Sharpen includes controls for fading the edge contrast in both the highlights and shadows, so your image looks sharper without losing detail. Let's see how it works!<\/p>\n<h3>New to Smart Sharpen in Photoshop CC: Reduce Noise<\/h3>\n<p>For best results with Smart Sharpen, you'll want to be using <a href=\"https:\/\/adobe.prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100lrdjJ\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adobe.com%2Fproducts%2Fphotoshop.html\" title=\"Get Photoshop CC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Photoshop CC<\/a> which includes a Reduce Noise feature not available in previous versions of the filter.  <\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n.ads-middle { display: inline-block; width:300px; margin:6px 0px 24px 0px; padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 16px; }\n@media (max-width: 515px) { .ads-middle { margin:20px 0; } }\n@media (max-width: 480px) { .ads-middle { margin:20px 0; } }\n<\/style><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6601556224092982\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- photo effects 300x250 middle responsive -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle ads-middle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6601556224092982\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"4216941496\"\n     data-ad-format=\"rectangle\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script>\n<p>Let's get started!<\/p>\n<p class=\"members-ad-top\"><a href=\"\/print-ready-pdfs\/\">Download all of our Photoshop tutorials as PDFs!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"sub\">How to sharpen images with Smart Sharpen<\/h2>\n<p>You can use any image to follow along. I'll use <a href=\"https:\/\/adobe.prf.hn\/click\/camref:1100lrdjJ\/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fstock.adobe.com%2Fca%2Fimages%2Fbutterfly%2F129307554\" title=\"View this image on Adobe Stock\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this image from Adobe Stock<\/a>:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/original-image.jpg\" alt=\"The original unsharpened image in Photoshop. Photo credit: Adobe Stock\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The original image. Photo credit: Adobe Stock.<\/div>\n<p>I'll zoom in so we can get a closer look at the butterfly. There's a lot of detail here that I can bring out with sharpening. But at the moment, it's looking too soft:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/original-image-zoomed.jpg\" alt=\"A closer look at the area that will be sharpened\" width=\"704\" height=\"434\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">A closer look at the area that will be sharpened.<\/div>\n<h3>Step 1: Convert the image layer into a smart object<\/h3>\n<p>Smart Sharpen can be applied as a static filter, but it's better to apply it as a <a href=\"\/basics\/how-to-use-smart-filters-in-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">smart filter<\/a>. This keeps the filter settings editable, and makes changing the filter's blending options easier. To apply Smart Sharpen as a smart filter, first convert your image layer into a <a href=\"\/basics\/how-to-create-smart-objects-in-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">smart object<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>But keep in mind that Photoshop can only sharpen one layer at a time. So if your document contains multiple layers, you'll need to <a href=\"\/basics\/merge-layers-to-a-new-layer-without-flattening-your-image\/\" title=\"Learn more\">merge them onto a new layer<\/a> before sharpening.<\/p>\n<p>In the <a href=\"\/basics\/layers\/layers-panel\/\" title=\"Learn more\">Layers panel<\/a>, my image appears on the <a href=\"\/basics\/background-layer-photoshop-cc\/\" title=\"Learn more\">Background layer<\/a>. To convert the layer to a smart object, click the <strong>menu icon<\/strong> in the upper right of the Layers panel:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/layers-panel-menu-icon-photoshop.png\" alt=\"Clicking the Layers panel menu icon in Photoshop\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Clicking the Layers panel menu icon.<\/div>\n<p>And then choose <strong>Convert to Smart Object<\/strong> from the menu:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/convert-to-smart-object.png\" alt=\"Selecting the Convert to Smart Object command in Photoshop\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Choosing &quot;Convert to Smart Object&quot;.<\/div>\n<p>A <em>smart object icon<\/em> appears in the lower right of the layer's preview thumbnail, telling us that we're now working with a smart object:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-object-icon.png\" alt=\"The smart object icon in the layer preview thumbnail in Photoshop\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The icon indicates a smart object.<\/div>\n<h3>Step 2: Select the Smart Sharpen filter<\/h3>\n<p>To apply Smart Sharpen, go up to the <strong>Filter<\/strong> menu in the Menu Bar, choose <strong>Sharpen<\/strong>, and then choose <strong>Smart Sharpen<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/select-smart-sharpen-filter-photoshop.png\" alt=\"Selecting the Smart Sharpen filter in Photoshop\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Going to Filter &gt; Sharpen &gt; Smart Sharpen.<\/div>\n<h4>The Smart Sharpen dialog box<\/h4>\n<p>This opens Photoshop's Smart Sharpen dialog box, with a preview window on the left and various sliders and options on the right.<\/p>\n<p>The preview window displays the image at the <a href=\"\/basics\/photoshop-zoom\/\" title=\"Learn more\">100&#37; zoom level<\/a>, where each <a href=\"\/basics\/pixels-image-size-resolution-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">image pixel<\/a> takes up exactly one screen pixel, giving you the most accurate sharpening preview. The zoom level can be changed using the plus and minus icons below the preview, but it's best to leave it at 100&#37;:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-dialog-box-photoshop.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting the Smart Sharpen filter in Photoshop\" width=\"693\" height=\"298\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The Smart Sharpen dialog box in Photoshop CC.<\/div>\n<h3>Step 3: Resize the Smart Sharpen dialog box for a larger preview<\/h3>\n<p>One of the first big advantages that Smart Sharpen has over Unsharp Mask is that the dialog box can be resized to make the preview window much bigger. To resize it, click and drag the sides or corners of the dialog box outward.<\/p>\n<p>Then once you've resized the dialog box, click and drag inside the preview window to center the preview on your subject:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/resize-smart-sharpen-dialog-box.jpg\" alt=\"Resizing Photoshop's Smart Sharpen dialog box for a larger sharpening preview.\" width=\"703\" height=\"393\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Resizing the Smart Sharpen dialog box for a larger preview.<\/div>\n<h3>Step 4: Make sure Remove is set to Lens Blur<\/h3>\n<p>Another big advantage with Smart Sharpen is that it can detect edges, just like the <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/sharpen-high-pass\/\" title=\"Learn more\">High Pass filter<\/a> which I cover in a separate tutorial. An <em>edge<\/em> is an area with a sudden, abrupt change in brightness between neighboring pixels. But for Smart Sharpen to detect edges, the <strong>Remove<\/strong> option must be set to <strong>Lens Blur<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>The two other choices here are <strong>Gaussian Blur<\/strong> and <strong>Motion Blur<\/strong>. <em>Gaussian Blur<\/em> causes Smart Sharpen to behave exactly like Unsharp Mask, with no edge detection ability. And <em>Motion Blur<\/em> is for removing blur caused by your subject moving or by camera shake.<\/p>\n<p>For most images, you'll want to make sure that Remove is set to Lens Blur before you continue:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-remove-lens-blur.png\" alt=\"The Smart Sharpen filter's Remove option in Photoshop, ser to Lens Blur.\" width=\"425\" height=\"189\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Setting Smart Sharpen's Remove option to Lens Blur.<\/div>\n<h4>Step 5: Adjust the Amount value to add edge contrast<\/h4>\n<p>Image sharpening is all about <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/boost-contrast-blend-modes-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">increasing contrast<\/a> along edges, making the light side lighter and the dark side darker. The stronger the edge contrast, the sharper the image looks. And just like with Unsharp Mask, Smart Sharpen uses an <strong>Amount<\/strong> slider to control the amount of contrast. <\/p>\n<p>At the default Amount value of 200%, the image is already looking sharper. But how <em>much<\/em> sharper it looks depends on the size of your image and on the amount of detail.<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-amount-slider.png\" alt=\"The Smart Sharpen filter's Amount option in Photoshop, used to control edge contrast.\" width=\"424\" height=\"171\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The Amount value sets the amount of contrast applied to edges.<\/div>\n<h4>How to toggle the sharpening preview on and off<\/h4>\n<p>You can toggle the preview window in the dialog box between the original and sharpened versions of the image by <strong>clicking and holding<\/strong> inside the preview window. With your mouse button held down, you'll see the original image. And when you release your mouse button, you'll return to the sharpened version.<\/p>\n<p>On the left is my original image. And on the right is the sharpening using Smart Sharpen's default settings (Amount: 200&#37;, Radius: 1 px, Reduce Noise: 10&#37;). Note that the Reduce Noise option, which we'll look at in a moment, is only available in <a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/l\/dlXjD2w\" title=\"Get Photoshop CC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Photoshop CC<\/a>:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/compare-sharpening-1.jpg\" alt=\"A comparison between the unsharpened image and the default Smart Sharpen filter settings in Photoshop.\" width=\"802\" height=\"325\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The unsharpened image (left) and the default Smart Sharpen settings (right).<\/div>\n<h4>Increasing the Amount value to add more sharpening<\/h4>\n<p>By increasing the Amount value, we add more contrast to the edges, making the image look even sharper. I'll increase the Amount to its maximum value of <strong>500&#37;<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-amount-500percent.png\" alt=\"Increasing the Smart Sharpen filter's Amount value to 500 percent in Photoshop\" width=\"424\" height=\"134\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Setting Amount to its maximum value.<\/div>\n<p>On the left is the default sharpening at 200&#37;, and on the right is with the Amount increased to 500&#37;. In my case, because I'm working with a large, high resolution image, the increased contrast is less noticeable than it would be with a smaller image:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/compare-sharpen-amount-values.jpg\" alt=\"A comparison between the default and higher Amount values in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen filter.\" width=\"800\" height=\"326\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The sharpening with an Amount of 200&#37; (left) and at 500&#37; (right).<\/div>\n<h4>Choosing the best Amount value for sharpening your image<\/h4>\n<p>So what's the best Amount setting to use? It really depends on the <a href=\"\/basics\/how-to-resize-images-in-photoshop-complete-guide\/\" title=\"Learn more\">size of your image<\/a> and the amount of detail. But for most images, Amount values of between <strong>150&#37;<\/strong> and <strong>200&#37;<\/strong> work best.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Amount option does not sharpen images on its own. To really see the effect that the Amount value has on sharpening, we also need to adjust the Radius option, which we'll look at next. And to make it easier to see how Radius works, I'll leave my Amount value set to 500&#37;.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n.ads-middle { display: inline-block; width:300px; margin:6px 0px 24px 0px; padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 16px; }\n@media (max-width: 515px) { .ads-middle { margin:20px 0; } }\n@media (max-width: 480px) { .ads-middle { margin:20px 0; } }\n<\/style><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6601556224092982\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- photo effects 300x250 middle responsive -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle ads-middle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6601556224092982\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"4216941496\"\n     data-ad-format=\"rectangle\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script>\n<h3>Step 6: Adjust the Radius value to set the edge thickness<\/h3>\n<p>The Radius value in the Smart Sharpen dialog box controls the <em>thickness<\/em> of the edges, by setting the number of pixels extending outward from an edge that should be considered <em>part<\/em> of the edge. Radius has a big impact on sharpening because thicker edges make the increased contrast from the Amount setting more obvious. So the two options, Amount and Radius, work hand-in-hand.<\/p>\n<p>The default Radius value of 1 pixel means that the Amount value is affecting only a single pixel on either side (one pixel on the light side of the edge and one on the dark side). But as we increase the Radius,  a wider and wider area is affected:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-radius-default-value.png\" alt=\"The Smart Sharpen filter's Radius option in Photoshop, used to control edge thickness.\" width=\"424\" height=\"170\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Radius controls the edge thickness.<\/div>\n<p>I'll increase the Radius from 1 pixel to 2 pixels, which means that the edges are now 4 pixels thick (2 pixels on the light side and 2 on the dark side). And already we see a big jump in contrast and sharpness. The 1 pixel Radius is on the left, and the 2 pixel Radius is on the right:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/compare-radius-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"A comparison between the default and higher Radius values in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen filter.\" width=\"800\" height=\"406\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Radius: 1 px (left); Radius: 2 px (right).<\/div>\n<h4>Creating halos by setting the Radius value too high<\/h4>\n<p>But if we set the Radius value <em>too<\/em> high, the edges become too thick, creating visible <em>halos<\/em> (light and dark outlines).<\/p>\n<p>On the left is the sharpening with a Radius of 2 pixels. And on the right is the result after increasing the Radius to 5 pixels. Notice the outlines (the halos) now appearing around the butterfly's legs, hairs, the antennae, and in the details of the wing. These are sure signs that the image has been over-sharpened. Plus, it just looks really ugly:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-radius-halos.jpg\" alt=\"A comparison between the default and higher Radius values in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen filter.\" width=\"801\" height=\"407\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Radius: 2 px (left); Radius: 5 px (right).<\/div>\n<h4>Comparing Smart Sharpen's halos to Unsharp Mask<\/h4>\n<p>But as bad as the halos look at such a high Radius value, they actually look <em>better<\/em> with Smart Sharpen than they would using <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/how-to-sharpen-images-in-photoshop-with-unsharp-mask\/\" title=\"Learn more\">Unsharp Mask<\/a>. And we can prove it right here in the Smart Sharpen dialog box.<\/p>\n<p>To make Smart Sharpen behave like Unsharp Mask, with no edge detection ability, simply change the <strong>Remove<\/strong> option from Lens Blur to <strong>Gaussian Blur<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-remove-gaussian-blur.png\" alt=\"Changing the Smart Sharpen filter's Remove option to Gaussian Blur\" width=\"424\" height=\"153\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Changing Remove to Gaussian Blur.<\/div>\n<p>And notice how much thicker the halos now appear, even though the Radius value remains the same (5 pixels). Lens Blur is on the left and Gaussian Blur is on the right. This is how the exact same Amount and Radius settings would look if I was sharpening the image with Unsharp Mask. So not only can Smart Sharpen detect edges, but it also produces thinner halos. Another win for Smart Sharpen:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/compare-smart-sharpen-halos.jpg\" alt=\"The Smart Sharpen halos (left) and the Unsharp Mask halos (right) using the same Radius value in Photoshop\" width=\"801\" height=\"407\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The Smart Sharpen halos (left) and the Unsharp Mask halos (right) using the same Radius value.<\/div>\n<p>To turn the edge detection feature back on, I'll set  <strong>Remove<\/strong> back to <strong>Lens Blur<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/remove-lens-blur-smart-sharpen.png\" alt=\"Setting the Remove option to Lens Blur in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen filter\" width=\"421\" height=\"134\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Lens Blur is the setting you'll use for most images.<\/div>\n<h4>Choosing the best Radius value for sharpening your image<\/h4>\n<p>Like the Amount value, the best Radius value to use depends on your image. But it also depends on whether the image is being sharpened for <a href=\"\/basics\/how-to-resize-images-for-print-with-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">print<\/a> or for viewing <a href=\"\/basics\/how-to-resize-images-for-email-and-photo-sharing-with-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">on screen<\/a>. That's because pixels appear much smaller in print, so the halos appear much thinner and less obvious. <\/p>\n<p>To compensate, you'll need a higher Radius value and thicker halos for the printed version to look just as sharp as the on-screen version. And the flip side is that an image being sharpened for print will usually look <em>over-sharpened<\/em> on your screen.<\/p>\n<p>When sharpening for print, a Radius of <strong>1 to 3 pixels<\/strong> usually works great. But since Smart Sharpen produces thinner halos than Unsharp Mask, you can often get away with even higher Radius values. If 3 pixels isn't enough, try pushing the Radius to 4 or even 5 pixels (making sure, of course, that Remove is set to Lens Blur).<\/p>\n<p>When sharpening for email, the web or any sort of screen viewing, a Radius of <strong>0.5 pixels to 1 pixel<\/strong> works better. Try to keep the Radius under 1 pixel for the best screen sharpening results.<\/p>\n<p>For my image, I'll go with a Radius of 4 pixels, and I'll lower the Amount value from 500&#37; back down to the default of 200&#37;:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-amount-radius-settings.png\" alt=\"Setting the Smart Sharpen filter's Amount and Radius values in Photoshop\" width=\"424\" height=\"178\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The Amount and Radius values work together to sharpen the image.<\/div>\n<p>These settings make the image look over-sharpened on screen, but when printed, they'll look much better:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/image-smart-sharpen-amount-radius.jpg\" alt=\"The sharpened image after setting the Smart Sharpen Amount and Radius options\" width=\"702\" height=\"470\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The result after setting the Amount and Radius values.<\/div>\n<aside><p class=\"members-ad-top\"><a href=\"\/print-ready-pdfs\/\">Download all of our Photoshop tutorials as PDFs!<\/a><\/p><\/aside>\n<h3>Step 7: Drag the Reduce Noise slider to clean up the image<\/h3>\n<p>In Photoshop CC, Adobe added a <strong>Reduce Noise<\/strong> feature to Smart Sharpen. The problem with noise is that it creates the same sudden change in brightness between neighboring pixels that Photoshop looks for when detecting edges. So the noise gets sharpened along with everything else.<\/p>\n<p>You can reduce the noise using the Reduce Noise slider. But if you try to remove <em>all<\/em> the noise, you'll smooth out too much detail. So instead, drag the slider to the right until the image looks cleaner and the noise is less distracting. The default value of 10&#37; is often all you need:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-reduce-noise-slider.png\" alt=\"The Reduce Noise feature in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen filter, used to prevent sharpening unwanted noise in the image\" width=\"423\" height=\"148\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Use the Reduce Noise slider to clean up unwanted noise (Photoshop CC only).<\/div>\n<h3>Step 8: Fade the sharpening in the highlights and shadows if needed<\/h3>\n<p>At this point, the main sharpening effect is done. But there's one more potential problem we can fix with Smart Sharpen, and it's yet another advantage that Smart Sharpen has over Unsharp Mask.<\/p>\n<p>Depending on your image and the amount of edge contrast you've added, sharpening can sometimes lead to <em>clipping<\/em> in the <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/restoring-hidden-detail-with-shadows-highlights-in-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">highlights and shadows<\/a>, where the brightest edge pixels are blown out to pure white and the darkest edge pixels are crushed to pure black. <\/p>\n<h4>How to access the Shadows and Highlights options<\/h4>\n<p>If you notice any overly-bright or dark areas after sharpening, twirl open the <strong>Shadows\/Highlights<\/strong> section:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-shadows-highlights.png\" alt=\"Opening the Shadows and Highlights options in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen dialog box\" width=\"424\" height=\"140\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Clicking on the words &quot;Shadows\/Highlights&quot;.<\/div>\n<p>This opens two additional sets of options, one for the <strong>Shadows<\/strong> and one for the <strong>Highlights<\/strong>. Each section contains three sliders (Fade Amount, Tonal Width and Radius) and they work exactly the same in both sections:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/fade-shadows-highlights-smart-sharpen.png\" alt=\"The Shadows and Highlights options in Photoshop's Smart Sharpen dialog box, used to restore clipped detail\" width=\"424\" height=\"268\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Use the Shadows and Highlights options to restore clipped detail.<\/div>\n<h4>Fade Amount<\/h4>\n<p>The <em>Fade Amount<\/em> slider fades the sharpening in either the shadows or highlights (depending on which section you're in). The higher the value, the less sharpening is applied. At the default Fade Amount value of 0&#37;, all of the options in the Shadows \/ Highlights section are effectively turned off.<\/p>\n<h4>Tonal Width<\/h4>\n<p><em>Tonal Width<\/em> controls the range of brightness levels that are affected by the Fade Amount. <\/p>\n<p>In the Shadows section, lower Tonal Width values limit the fade to just the darkest edge pixels, while higher values include more of the midtones. And in the Highlights section, lower values limit the fade to just the <em>brightest<\/em> edge pixels, while higher values include more midtones. <\/p>\n<p>You generally don't need to worry about the Tonal Width because the default value of <strong>50&#37;<\/strong> works well.<\/p>\n<h4>Radius<\/h4>\n<p>And the <em>Radius<\/em> value controls the width of the area around each pixel that Photoshop looks at to determine if the pixel fits within the specified tonal range. If it does, then it will be affected by the Fade Amount. If not, it won't.<\/p>\n<p>The default Radius of 1 pixel is usually too low. To affect a wider area, try increasing the value closer to <strong>50 pixels<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h4>Example: Restoring highlight detail after sharpening<\/h4>\n<p>My image doesn't have any obvious problems in the shadows or highlights, but to see how these sliders can be used to restore clipped detail, I'll increase the edge contrast by raising the main <strong>Amount<\/strong> value back up to <strong>500&#37;<\/strong>. And now if we look near the butterfly's eye, we see an area of distractingly bright highlights along the left edge:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/detail-clipping-highlights.jpg\" alt=\"The image showing highlight clipping after sharpening with Smart Sharpen in Photoshop\" width=\"597\" height=\"449\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">An example of highlight clipping after sharpening.<\/div>\n<p>I can dial back the brightness and restore detail in that area by increasing the Fade Amount value in the Highlights section. To keep as much edge contrast as possible in the rest of the image, don't automatically crank the Fade Amount all the way to 100&#37;. Instead, find the lowest value that still gives you the result you need.<\/p>\n<p>I'll increase the value to 30&#37;. And I'll also increase the Radius value to 50 pixels:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/highlights-fade-amount.png\" alt=\"Fading the Smart Sharpen effect in the highlights\" width=\"424\" height=\"142\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Fading the sharpening in the highlights.<\/div>\n<p>And here we see the result. It's subtle, but on the left is the original version with the clipped highlights around the eye. And on the right is the version with less clipping and more of the highlight detail restored:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/compare-highlight-clipping.jpg\" alt=\"A comparison showing the sharpened image with clipped highlights and the version with highlight detail restored.\" width=\"800\" height=\"406\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The highlight clipping (left) has been reduced after fading the sharpening (right).<\/div>\n<h3>Step 9: Close the Smart Sharpen dialog box<\/h3>\n<p>When you're ready to apply your sharpening settings, click OK to close the Smart Sharpen dialog box:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/close-smart-sharpen-dialog-box.png\" alt=\"Closing the Smart Sharpen dialog box in Photoshop\" width=\"429\" height=\"165\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Closing Smart Sharpen.<\/div>\n<h3>Step 10: Change Smart Sharpen's blend mode to Luminosity<\/h3>\n<p>And finally, whether we're sharpening an image with Smart Sharpen or Unsharp Mask, the final step is always the same. We need to avoid color artifacts in the sharpened version by changing the filter's <a href=\"\/basics\/blend-mode-tips-tricks\/\" title=\"Learn more\">blend mode<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the Layers panel, Smart Sharpen appears as a smart filter below the image. Open the filter's blending options by double-clicking on the <strong>Blending Options <\/strong>icon:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-filter-blending-options-icon.png\" alt=\"Opening the Smart Sharpen filter's blending options in Photoshop\" width=\"275\" height=\"219\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Double-clicking on the Blending Options icon.<\/div>\n<p>And in the Blending Options dialog box, change the <strong>blend mode<\/strong> from Normal to <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/layer-blend-modes\/luminosity\/\" title=\"Learn more\"><strong>Luminosity<\/strong><\/a>. This prevents Smart Sharpen from sharpening the color by limiting its effect to just the brightness of the pixels. <\/p>\n<p>If you find that your sharpening looks too strong, you can reduce it here by lowering the <strong>Opacity<\/strong> of the Smart Sharpen filter. But I'll leave mine at 100&#37;. Click OK when you're done to close the dialog box:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-blend-mode-luminosity.png\" alt=\"Changing Smart Sharpen's blend mode to Luminosity in Photoshop's Blending Options dialog box\" width=\"337\" height=\"344\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Changing the Smart Sharpen blend mode to Luminosity.<\/div>\n<p><strong>Suggested:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/basics\/three-ways-to-blend-two-images-together-photoshop\/\" title=\"Learn more\">Three Ways to Blend Two Images in Photoshop<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>How to toggle the sharpening on and off<\/h3>\n<p>To compare the original and sharpened version of your image, toggle Smart Sharpen on and off by clicking the smart filter <strong>visibility icon<\/strong> in the Layers panel:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/toggle-sharpening.png\" alt=\"How to toggle the Smart Sharpen filter on and off in Photoshop\" width=\"275\" height=\"219\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">Toggling the sharpening effect on and off.<\/div>\n<p>On the left is my original unsharpened image, and on the right is the final sharpened result:<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pe-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/photo-editing\/cc\/smart-sharpen\/smart-sharpen-photoshop-final.jpg\" alt=\"The final sharpened image using the Smart Sharpen filter in Photoshop\" width=\"852\" height=\"330\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-desc\">The unsharpened (left) and Smart Sharpened version of the image (right).<\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n.ads-bottom { width:300px; padding-top:16px;padding-bottom:16px; }\n<\/style><div align=\"center\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6601556224092982\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- 300x250 page bottom responsive -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle ads-bottom\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6601556224092982\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"2879809098\"\n     data-ad-format=\"rectangle\"\n\t data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n<p>And there we have it! That's how to sharpen images using the Smart Sharpen filter in Photoshop! <\/p>\n<p>Visit our <a href=\"\/photo-editing\/\" title=\"View our Photo Editing tutorials\">Photo Editing<\/a> section for more Photoshop tutorials. And don't forget, all of our tutorials are now available to <a href=\"\/print-ready-pdfs\/\" title=\"Learn more\">download as PDFs<\/a>!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><div class=\"members-ad\"><a href=\"\/print-ready-pdfs\/\">Get all of our Photoshop tutorials as PDFs!<\/a> Download them today!<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how Photoshop&#8217;s Smart Sharpen filter lets you sharpen images like the pros, and why Smart Sharpen is the better choice over Unsharp Mask.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28123,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photo-editing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Using Smart Sharpen for the Best Image Sharpening in Photoshop<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how Photoshop&#039;s Smart Sharpen filter lets you sharpen images like the pros, and why Smart Sharpen is the better choice over Unsharp Mask.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.photoshopessentials.com\/newsite\/photo-editing\/using-smart-sharpen-for-the-best-image-sharpening-in-photoshop\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to use Smart Sharpen, Photoshop&#039;s Best Image Sharpening Filter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to sharpen images with Smart Sharpen and why it&#039;s better than Unsharp Mask! 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